Possible before and after pictures: Vision unveiled for ‘car free’ city, including outside Leeds United's iconic Elland Road

Charity Possible has drawn up designs for Tempest Road in Beeston and for outside Leeds United’s iconic Elland Road stadium. The first of which will soon be showcased on a billboard in the area – week commencing February 13.

The group wants change in the area and has acted on a ‘Car Free Vision’ report by organisation Fare City, which says roads used by private vehicles should be reclaimed for alternative uses such as walking and cycling in cities like Leeds.

The term ‘car free’ does not denote that the city would be free of cars – but rather see a substantial reduction in the use of private vehicles.

Hirra Khan Adeogun, Head of Car Free Cities at climate charity Possible, told the YEP: “When we present people with the visions, they love the visions and are like ‘yes I want to live in a place like this’ but the question is always how do we make it happen?

"This is fantastic, this is the future we all want to live in but what are the practicalities? And I think what that tells us is we need to see more political ambition from our leaders and more education of what we can do to make something like this a reality.”

In winter 2022, Possible talked to people who live, work and shop in south Leeds about what they would want to see change on Elland Road and Tempest Road. After holding two workshops with residents from diverse backgrounds to shape the vision, and interviewing a panel of experts, Possible went on to envision these spaces free from car dependency.

Last night, Possible unveiled both of these visions to the public with residents, the wider public, campaigners and local councillors present to show them what the future could look like.

Green councillor for Hunslet and Riverside, Ed Carlisle told the YEP: “I think it’s really interesting seeing those vision images, even if they are really drastic, as they start to shift our imagination towards what is possible.

"One thing I’m really pushing on is the idea that we could, with residents at the core, start to look at how we could innovate and shift the landscape of our communities to make them more pedestrian and cycle friendly. With simple changes such as blocking the end of a road and seeing what happens.”

Central to Possible’s vision of a greener and less car dependent future for Leeds includes the introduction of the long-awaited Mass Transit system, with one connecting West Yorkshire’s towns, cities, and suburbs currently in the works.

Coun Carlisle said: “I think the devil would be in the detail and how far reaching it would be across the city but definitely in city’s with mass transit, including Sheffield and Manchester, it has been really transformative.”

Hirra, from Possible, added: “It would be huge and that’s why we have put a tram system in our vision. I think Leeds is currently missing that key infrastructure transport piece that would really help put the city on the map.”